April 11, 2012 - PRLog -- The orchestra has left the concert hall and that was the whole idea. When its board was looking for a way to distinguish the fledgling ensemble it decided that being the GTA’s ‘homeless’ orchestra might be an advantage.The Toronto Concert Orchestra was founded with the idea of taking music to other markets in the province of Ontario and to present concerts in new venues. To that end TCO played at center court at the season opening of the Toronto Raptors, at the Phoenix Night club, in the lobby of the Windsor Arms Hotel, at Echo Beach at Ontario Place, at the Design Exchange and at the Muzik nightclub on the Exhibition Grounds. In keeping with its mandate to set up music stands almost anywhere, the TCO presents a read through and concert at 8:PM May 5 at the Design Exchange, 234 Bay Street. “The open rehearsal/concert format has proven quite successful with the public.” says Maestro Kerry Stratton who experimented with this approach in the summer of 2011 at the Windsor Arms hotel when the orchestra prepared Beethoven’s symphony number seven to a capacity audience. We are the response to people who told us “I can’t afford to go to the symphony”, “I don’t know what to wear”, “there’s no symphony orchestra where I live” and “can I get a rum and coke?” “TCO is committed to an open and relaxed atmosphere,” Stratton continued. “Personally I think the stained glass approach to arts has had its day and certainly there’s a whole generation that won’t respond well to the implication that somehow this music is better than you are or that it’s only for the elite.”The orchestra has encouraged the public at these events to get close to the players. There were even people at the Phoenix who went to stand behind the bass section just to get the experience of being in a working symphony.Repertoire for the May 5th event will include Rossini’s Barber of Seville Overture, Dvorak’s Symphony Number Eight in G and Mozart’s Piano concerto number 20 in D Minor. “The soloist will be pianist Haiou Zhang whose career is enjoying a meteoric rise in Europe and Asia.” Stratton added.Doors open at 7:00 pm and the performance begins at 8:00 pm.General admission tickets are just $25.00and can be purchased on line: http://tco-at-dx-may5.eventbrite.com/?ebtv=Cor at the door, May 5